The Valentine Game
by Writer's-BlockDP
Summary: In honor of Valentines Day all girls will recieve a paper heart as they exit the room. The first boy they talk to at any point during the day wil recieve their heart. Can you say utter chaos? And Mr. Lancer's new unit on poetry isn't helping matters...
1. Chapter 1

_Al righty, my friends have been begging me to post this for some time now. They all fell in love with it, and considering that I actually took the time to write a poem for this I figured I may as well post it. Not to mention that it's one of my favorite fics out of all that I am currently working on (at least 20). We actually do play this game at school on Valentine's Day, which is where I got the idea. Please just ignore the fact that it isn't anywhere near the holiday anymore, and enjoy the fic anyway. Oh, right, before I forget: I do not own Danny Phantom, but that's just because I'm too busy to find the Specter Speeder so I can go into the Ghost Zone and find Desiree. Uh...what was I talking about? Curse my short attention span! So... you are all probably waiting impatiently for the story to start, so I'll let you get on to that now instead of listening to me blather on about ghosts...and fudge. I like fudge. I am the fudge ghost! You cannot hold me within the confines of your non-edible cylintrical trap!_ ((gets sucked into thermos))_ Darn it._

_--------------------------_

"In honor of Valentine's Day, all girls will be given a paper heart as they leave the room. The first boy they talk to at any point during the day will receive their heart. Prizes will be awarded at the end of the day to the boy with the most hearts and to all girls who keep their hearts. You're dismissed."

As the student body filed out of the assembly, Sam Manson discreetly slipped a red paper heart into her pocket.

Danny was amazed at how many girls came up to him that day. Valerie said, "Hi," and slipped her heart into his hand as she passed him in the hall.

A tall skinny girl with freckles and glasses asked shyly, "Do you like brunettes?" and handed over her heart willingly. She hurried away, long ponytail swishing from side to side.

In between each class, Danny ignored all the people that usually ignored him, smiling and laughing with Tucker as usual. Despite his not trying, the hearts began to fill his pockets.

Sam watched it all in silence through a stony glare. She was used to not giving her heart away and not showing her true feelings. This was the only thing that kept all those other girls that were approaching Danny alive. She had already ripped a textbook in half and dented some poor kid's locker into an unrecognizable shape.

Despite this, Sam still felt as though she might explode at any moment. Unfortunately, pent-up feelings have a way of coming out at the weirdest times. It happened in Mr. Lancer's class…

"Does everybody finally understand the difference between a predicate nominative and a predicate adjective?"

The English teacher was met by a roomful of blank stares, a few soft snores, and the sound of chirping crickets. "Foley, turn off that blasted PDA!"

The cricket sounds stopped almost instantaneously. Mr. Lancer cleared his throat. "Now, if I may go on, I would like you all to turn to page 517 in your textbooks. We will be starting a unit on poetry next."

This was met by groans from many of the students. "I know how excited you all must be," he went on sarcastically, "but please hold your applause. To access your knowledge on the subject I would like you each to compose a poem. You will turn them in to me in precisely fifteen minutes, starting now."

Sam's brow furrowed as she contemplated the project. First that stupid heart game, and now this? Has everybody completely lost it? It's only some holiday made up by greeting card companies so they can make a quick buck, so why does everybody always make such a big deal out of it?

She glances at the clock, astonished to see that nearly five minutes have gone by since the task was assigned. Sam pulls out a blank sheet of notebook paper and pencils her name at the top. Tapping her chin thoughtfully, she begins to write…

When time is up, Mr. Lancer collects the papers, glancing through the stack as he walks back up to the front of the room. The balding man sighs, announcing, "Apparently very few of you know what a poem _is_, much less how to write one. S-," he cut off when he locked eyes with Sam's desperate gaze, "-omeone has written a piece that measures up to the standards of some of the works in your textbook, it I can judge appropriately at first glance."

The overweight teacher cleared his throat, then began,

"Soar with me

through the deep blue sky

because I love the twinkle

that lights up your eye.

As the wind blows your hair,

Sometimes black, sometimes white,

We dip through the air

As it transforms into night.

Attacks have been few

Words have been none

As we soar in the air

Under the sun.

You gaze on me

I gaze on you

And I'm led to believe

That dreams do come true.

But now she has come

To take up your mind

And all that I know

Has been left behind.

She's now much more

And I'm just a friend

But I feel I must say,

'Let us soar once again.'"

When Lancer finished reading, several in the room sighed, including Paulina. "That was beautiful!" she gushed. "Who wrote it?"

The gaze of the teacher swept around the classroom, not missing the panicked look on the face of one Samantha Manson. He turned back to Paulina, "They wish to remain anonymous."

The bell chose that moment to ring, and Sam was out of the classroom so quickly that her speed marveled that of even Flash. She was getting her books for her next class when Danny walked up.

"You were the one who wrote that poem." It was said more as a statement then as a question. "About me."

Sam nodded silently, her eyes meeting his. He didn't miss the questioning look in them.

Danny explained, "That crack about the different hair colors, being attacked, and flying were all dead giveaways." He went on to tease, "Plus, the way you were so nervous and left class so quickly were pretty big hints."

Sam smiled wryly, "I guess you know me a little too well."

Danny laughed, than a realization dawned on him. "Wait a minute… you just talked! Now you have to give me your heart."

She dug it out of her pocket, handing him the red piece of paper. The warning bell echoed through the emptying halls, and Danny's grin disappeared as he took off for his next class, trying desperately not to be late.

Sam stared at his departing back with a sigh. "Don't worry, I gave you my heart a long time ago."

----------------------------------

_Okay, I know this was strange, but I couldn't resist! Please review to let me know what you think, and I might give you the alternate ending at some point!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey people, sorry this is late. If you want some details on why you can read the top of my profile. Basically my computer hates me and will let me read as many fics as I want, but I am unable to login. This is not being posted by me. At least it's not April 30****th**** like it was for the first part of this, right?**

**This part is not in any way based on any activities in my school. There's no way they could afford it. So anyway, enjoy!**

**­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­**

A second assembly was held at the end of the school day. The students were required to write their names on whatever hearts they currently had in their possession, dropping them into large collection boxes at the entrances to the auditorium. Student council volunteers hurriedly began counting the pink and red pieces of paper.

San quietly walked with Tucker to find seats, both ignoring the collection boxes entirely. They sat down wordlessly, saving a seat between them for Danny.

Tucker's uncharacteristic silence was due mostly to the fact that he was moping. Spending all day trying to win a paper heart and not even succeeding once will do that to a person. Sam's silence was not uncharacteristic for her in the least.

Danny didn't show up for several minutes, and at a questioning look from both friends simply shrugged and muttered something about trying to write quickly. He slipped into his seat just as the assembly began, so they had no chance to question him on just how many hearts he had received.

Lancer cleared his throat and launched into a lecture about the history of Valentine's Day. By the time he was finished all of the students had lapsed into a near-comatose state, staring blankly ahead. Lancer sighed. Where was their thirst for knowledge? He picked up a yardstick and slammed it into the wall with such force that the stick cracked.

The sudden noise seemed to revive the students, because he was suddenly surrounded by the sound of the entire student body turning to the person beside them and beginning to talk.

He slammed the stick again, this time effectively snapping it in half. The students immediately halted their conversations mid-sentence. The teacher stepped back up to the podium, proclaiming, "I will not announce the names of the girls who kept their hearts for the entire day." Tucker sent a glance in Sam's direction. "Paulina and Leslie, please come up here," Mr. Lancer finished.

The techno-geek shot an incredulous look at Sam as two of the most popular girls in school stood up. "Hey Sam, who'd you give your heart to?" She either didn't hear him or ignored him; most likely the latter.

Mr. Lancer was still talking, announcing what prize the two girls would get, but Tucker was too absorbed in puzzling over Sam to notice what it was. Who in this school could get her to talk if she didn't want to? Himself… and Danny.

"It was Danny, wasn't it?" The slight tinge of red on the cheeks of both of his friends was all the answer he needed. The boy sat back in his seat with a knowing smirk as Lancer continued.

"And now for the boy who collected the most hearts today." Dash started standing up arrogantly. There was no way anyone could have more hearts than his twenty-four. "Danny Fenton!" Mr. Lancer called.

Dash dropped like a rock in a dead faint while Danny blushed a vivid shade of red and tried to blend into his seat. "Dude!" Tucker exclaimed. "How many hearts did you get?"

"Thirty-seven," Danny muttered softly, embarrassed by the attention. The jaws of both his friends dropped as he finally regained his senses enough to stand and walk to the front of the room. The majority of the clapping was, no doubt, provided by thirty-six of the girls who had been the previous owners of his paper hearts. Sam, Tucker, and a majority of the high school were still too shell-shocked to do much of anything other than openly gaping.

After what seemed like hours Danny finally ascended the stage and stood awkwardly next to Mr. Lancer. A hand moved upward involuntarily to rub the back of his neck as he shifted in place, wanting more than anything to just go sit back down and blend into the crowd again. Sam could sympathize with this. While a major activist who had no problem making speeches in front of a group of people or fighting for what she believed it, she still hated being the center of attention when she hadn't specifically _chosen_ to be such. She sent sympathy to her friend through her eyes, and saw an almost imperceptible twitch at the corners of his mouth.

Mr. Lancer was speaking again. "As his prize, Mr. Fenton is receiving a pass to miss three classes to take a girl out to an all-expense-paid lunch. He may choose any of the girls whose hearts he won today."

As if by some unspoken command, thirty-five girls stood up from their seats and began screaming and waving their hands. Glancing around the room, Danny found that he only recognized one or two from any time before today. Then his gaze fell upon the two who had remained seated.

Valerie, because her pride demanded that she never act that crazy over a guy, not even one as wonderful as this one.

And Sam, whose pride dictated that she not act crazy over a guy, this one in particular. If she did, people may start actually thinking that their assumptions were true. She and Danny had always been called Lovebirds, nearly as far back as she could remember. The last thing she wanted was to prove those rumors true… no matter how much she longed for them to be.

From on the stage Danny's gaze met Valerie's and his eyes seemed to be communicating something to her.

Sam noticed a slight nod from the girl a few rows ahead of her, then Danny looked at her. And he smiled.

**So, what'd ya think? Be sure to review and let me know! Even though the computer is going to be keeping me from responding to them, I'm just going to tell you all now that I appreciate every single one of them and will pass out virtual chocolate chip pancakes smothered in peanut butter to everyone who reviews (and isn't allergic)!!!! You guys rock!!!**


End file.
